FAQ

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  • What is a specialized audio-video (AV) cable? Many users still assume that cables are secondary and can safely be ignored. This is a fundamental misconception. Being signal energy transmission lines, cables inevitably introduce losses that compromise performance of the valuable electronics. A specialized audio-video cable is distinguished from lots of mass-market alternatives by its sophisticated design and higher-grade materials applied. The result is a sufficiently reduced distortion level and superior fidelity in audio-video reproduction.
  • What cable shall I start with if I’m a newbie in audio? Will I notice any difference by upgrading just one connection in my budget system? Most AV systems are configured of relatively inexpensive devices. For this reason, it makes sense to start with cables within the entry-level price range. Our basic Standard cables are a perfect choice for the first serious upgrade. Sharing mainframe features with our higher-end products, they help the user experience obvious advantages of our products and hear a clear difference between a specialized cable and a generic one.
  • What are the key principles for selecting cables for an audio system? A common rule of thumb is that the cost of cabling should not exceed 15 - 20% of the overall system price. This guideline is valid, but with few exclusions. The crucial point is that all cables should be of comparable quality and technical level, as this contributes to a well-balanced and musically cohesive performance. When selecting speaker and power cables, it is important to focus primarily on the tech specs of the components being connected. In some situations, a simpler and more affordable cable may suit better than a more sophisticated and expensive one.
  • Do cables have directionality, and are the arrows on your cable orientated correctly? We at Tchernov Cable strictly control the whole manufacturing process starting from the outset. During a copper wire extrusion its crystal structure gains a particular orientation. This directionality is carefully monitored then throughout all subsequent production stages. When the outer jacket is applied – the correct directionality is marked with arrows. Finally, the accuracy of the appointed direction is verified by a special listening test.
  • Some users claim that silver or silver-plated copper conductors transmit signals faster than pure copper. Is that true? This is a misconception. Energy transfer speed is not determined by the conductor material - at least not in the sense implied by such arguments. The differences are so minute that they can only be measured during extensive physical experiments. What some listeners perceive subjectively - silver conductors sound “faster” and pure copper sound more “refined” - can be explained by differences in the crystalline structure of copper and silver, as well as the distinct physical and chemical properties of their compounds with Oxygen, Sulphur, Antimony, and other nonmetals that remain as trace impurities in the conductor. The types of crystal defects and the intercrystalline Schottky barrier structures that form on them also vary, subtly altering the nature of distortions introduced by the conductors. Although these distortions are vanishingly low in magnitude, the human ear can detect them. Differing distortion spectrums are what a trained listener perceives as audible distinctions between silver and copper cables - but not any notable variation of the signal transmission speed.
  • What defines the sound of Tchernov Cable? In a nutshell: high definition and musical fidelity. Any system, wired-up with our cables acquires our trademark tonal accuracy, favouring cohesion and musicality over analytic excessiveness. Listening becomes a revelatory experience. It’s hard to imagine anyone being dissatisfied with it.
  • Why some of your cables, looking outwardly similar to mass-market alternatives, are several times more expensive? The explanation is straightforward: it’s all about the cost of the materials and equipment we use. For instance, BRC wire for the conductors, utilized in Standard, Special, and Pro series, is 3 times as much expensive as the lower-grade copper wire typically used in industrial cables. Our proprietary 2-layer CAFPE® conductor insulation with an inner air-foamed PE layer, requires fully customized tooling for each type of cable and modern computerized extrusion lines to maintain consistent structural uniformity and homogeneity of each insulation layer. Special PVC elastron, which we use for jacket overlaying, costs five (!) times more than conventional PVC, widely used in the industry. In return, this unique SPVC imparts our cables industry-leading flexibility, efficient acoustic noise & vibration absorption and secure protection from external stress.
  • Can I mix different Tchernov Cable series in one set-up? Yes, you can, but for the best result, we recommend using cables from the same series to rest assured the best musical cohesiveness is achieved. That said, mixing closely related series can work well. For example, the 3-d generation Special and Classic cables share far more design ethos than Classic and Reference do. Similarly, Reference and Ultimate cables can be combined without any issue as they are all conceived to complement each other thanks to their similar design ethos and the materials used. Keep in mind, though, that installing just a single cable up the hierarchy will not always deliver a wow-improvement one might expect. In some cases, it may even expose some weaknesses of the system: a cable with higher definition reveals inherent system flaws that simpler cables would otherwise mask, creating a captivating musical loftiness.
  • Are your cables compatible with electronics from different manufacturers? Yes, our cables are fully compatible with virtually any electronics on the market. Their fundamentally different design topologies give the user an opportunity to choose the right connectivity option for almost every unit within various input/output impedances, signal amplitude ranges and diverse EMI spectrum, affecting specified signal transmission lines. Linearity across the full frequency range and wide bandwidth are the main design principles that underpin their total neutrality and system compatibility.
  • I have a small recording studio. Everything is wired with stock cables and I’m happy with the results. If I upgrade with specialized cables, won’t I get an “EQ effect” and hear a nonlinear, colored sound - even if it is more involving? Low-cost stock cables represent mostly common designs and materials. They aim at simply providing an electrical contact and confirm the device is functioning. Specialized AV cables, by contrast, utilize rigorously selected materials and advanced designs. The result is the least amount of distortion compared to mass-market alternatives. This means one thing above all: delicate musical information is relayed as faithfully, as it was originally recorded with an accurate tonal balance and authentic timbre. That’s critical in the Pro segment.
  • Some claim your cables are simple industrial products relabelled with Tchernov Cable. Is that true? These baseless claims are vivid examples of the unfair competition. Every cable sold under TCHERNOV CABLE brand represents one-of-a-kind design, co-developed with the factory engineers and produced at the leading cable manufacturing facilities in Russia. Some of our technologies are protected by patents in the Russian Federation and are the company’s intellectual property.
  • Can I take your cables home for a listening test? Yes. Ask your local dealer or distributor for a try-out.
  • How does the 3-d generation (3G) of Tchernov cables differ from the earlier ones?

    Due to the constantly evolving techniques and optimization of the manufacturing process the 3G cables are fabricated to the tightest tolerances with the closest electrical parameters and geometrical isotropy, obtained along the full cable’s length. What might initially appear to be superficial improvements across various design aspects converts into an impressive leap in musical fidelity.

    In addition, the 3G cables incorporate the all-new technologies that clearly set them apart: DSC (Distributed Symmetrical Conductor) hexagonal architecture, the innovative Combined 2-layer SPVC jacket with an inner air-foamed layer, SASDB® dielectric binding with the outer cotton tape layer, and a few other important design refinements.
  • Why do you put so much emphasis on insulation? Is it really that critical?

    The quality of conductor insulation is not less important than the conductor itself. During the current flow the electromagnetic field, which transfers the signal energy, is concentrated not in the conductor, but in the space around the conductor, in the insulative layer. That’s why insulation is the most critical element of cable design that directly determines signal energy loss. Great advantages of the expensive ultra-pure conductor are often forfeited by mating it with mediocre insulation - something we frequently see in competitors’ products.

    Tchernov Cable has developed and successfully implemented the proprietary insulation technologies such as CAFPE® and SATI® (see the Technologies section). In symmetrical cables we apply what we call complex insulation: in addition to individual conductor insulation, SDB or SASDB® dielectric bindings are applied to boost class-leading dielectric attributes.

    Dielectric binding further decreases dielectric loss, minimizes electrodynamic noise between the conductors and steps down cable’s distributed capacitance. The result is higher definition across the extended frequency range and improved dynamics. Very few manufacturers currently employ complex insulation in their cables.


  • Returning to the chemical composition of BRC, which particular impurities do you refer to? Is there a hierarchy of BRC conductors used in your cables?

    BRC stands for Balanced Refinement Copper. Every ounce we use is mined in the Ural region of Russia, which undergoes electrolytic refinement to achieve an entirely uniform and defect free crystal structure with unrivalled electrical and thermal conductivity, high ductility and resistance to tearing. BRC reveals stunning musical fidelity, rendering information exactly as it was recorded without any coloration.

    Extensive analysis was combined with listening tests to determine the list of chemical elements with the most negative impact on the sound: Si, S, As, Ge, Sn, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co. On the contrary, the residual presence of silver (Ag) and lead (Pb) is much more benign as it increases the recrystallization temperature and helps the wire retain high electrical conductivity after it has been subjected to stress.

    The trace concentration of the most unwelcome elements (Si, S, As, Ge, Sn, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co) in BRC conductors, used in Standard, Special, Pro, Classic & Reference series corresponds to incremental purity of 4N-6N (99.99 -99.9999%) according to the adopted OFC (oxygen-free copper) gradation. BRC+ conductors, reserved exclusively for the flagship Ultimate range, reach the purity equivalent to 7N (99.99999%), which is the highest degree of purity in the industry to date.
  • Reference & Ultimate cables of the previous generations featured X-Shield® SE while the modern ones are designated with X-Shield®. Is this a simplified version?

    That’s correct - but the transition to X-Shield® is by no means a simplification or a downgrade. On the contrary, X-Shield®, as the Multi-Element Shielding System, has been continually refined and upgraded. The earlier SE (Super Efficiency) version, reinforced with two layers of solid rolled copper foil, resided exclusively in the 2-d generation of Reference and Ultimate cables. Today, this enhanced modification has become the standard, with the new copper foil of a higher grade seamlessly integrated. More of that, the overlaying process has been methodically fine-tuned to step down contact noise in the shield structure and maintain uniform shielding properties upon curving.

  • What are the key advantages of the innovative “Combined 2-Layer SPVC Jacket with an Inner Air-Foamed Layer,” in comparison with a widely used conventional PVC jacket? Since 2022, weve been applying the newly developed Combined 2-layer SPVC Jacket with an Inner Air-Foamed Layer in our 3G Standard, Special, Classic and Pro series of cables. This jacket is overlaid with the use of the unique Russian-made Special PVC elastron, that exemplifies excellent vibration-damping properties, excellent filling capability and a low brittle temperature.

    The inner air-foamed layer, with its microscopic air bubbles, enhances the cable’s overall insulating properties and steps down electro-dynamic noise, caused by conductor’s vibration and movement in the Earth’s magnetic field. The solid outer layer provides efficient absorption of acoustic noise and vibrations, mechanical strength and long-term stability of all the major parameters. More of that, the enviable flexibility makes installation a breeze. There is nothing similar on the market to date!
  • You use the Russian-made Special PVC elastron for jacketing. What’s so special about it? The unique special PVC elastron was developed in the USSR in the early 1970s and still has no equal elsewhere in the world. It combines low dielectric permittivity (comparable to HDPE) with excellent vibration damping properties and enables a wide operating temperature range: from -45°C to +70°C. Outstanding dielectric and mechanical properties allow it to be used not only for outer jackets but also as individual conductor insulation.
  • Why add an antistatic treatment to the jacket? The antistatic additive serves for two key functions. First, it reduces the microphonic effect, since the jacket does not accumulate significant static charges. Second, it decreases susceptibility to external EMI, because the jacket does not build up static electricity.
  • Why do you produce only round-profile cables but not flat ones? A round-profile cable replicates the natural spatial geometry of the electromagnetic field around a conductor. This geometry minimizes energy-dissipation losses and prevents the emergence of “secondary” EM radiators caused by sharp discontinuities - precisely the kind of irregularities inherent in flat cables.
  • If I assemble a cable myself, will it differ from a factory-made original?

    Yes. What you’ll have is a self-assembled cable, not a factory product. Our team’s expertise ensures reference-level assembling quality, consistent reproducibility across all units, and compliance with tested and approved production samples.

    When a cable is assembled independently, none of these conditions can be guaranteed. The result is unpredictable, and full responsibility for it rests entirely with the user.

    Keep in mind: a factory-made Tchernov Cable is a fully accomplished, purpose-designed product, engineered end-to-end to meet our strict quality standards and protected by our official warranty.

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